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R. MORRIS.

TARGET.

Patntd Jan. 10,1882.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE,

RICHARD MORRIS OF LEWISEIAM, COUNTY OF KENT, ENGLAND.

TARGET:

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 252,240, dated January 10, 1882. Application filed October 5, 1881. (No model.) Patented in England April 25, 1881, and in Italy June 32), 1881.

, To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD MORRIS, a citizen'of England, residing at Lewisham, in the county of Kent, England, have invented an Improved Method of and Apparatus for Controlling the Accuracy of Sighting and Aim in Rifle Drill or Practice, (For which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No.1,773, hearing date April 25,1881, and in Italy, hearof which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved target, by means of which men under aiming and sighting drill for rifle practice can have the accuracy of their sighting and aim effectually tested by, actually firing, without requiring for this purpose ordinarytargets at long range, so that such drill can be carried on in the barraek-yard or other confined spaces, as in ordinary aiming and sighting drill. For this purpose, first, the ordinary rifle is provided with an inner barrel for taking a very small ball-cartridge, for which purpose I empl0y, by preference, the construction of inner barrel that forms the subject of another application for Letters Patent filed by me on the same day herewith; secondly, there is placed at a short distance from the men a screen or target consisting, by preference, of paper or other cheap penetrable material, on the front of which one or more bulls-eyes or aiming-centers are marked, while on therear side are marked horizontal lines, one of which corresponds with the bulls-eyes, while the others are at distances above this corresponding with the points at which the bullet should pass through the target it the sight has been set for a certain range and correct aim at the bulls-eye has been taken on firing. In addition to these horizontal lines there are also, by preference, ven tical lines through and on each side of the bulls-eyes to show any deviations from these in aiming. Thus, it, for example, orders have been given to sight for five hundred yards, then, if the sighting and aim be accurate, the bullet should pass through the vertical center line of the target and one of the horizontal lines above the center drawn at a height corresponding to thepoint at which the correct trajectory for five hundred yards would pass through the target when this is placed at a certain distance from the men. Consequently, after firing, the officer in charge can at once ascertain whether the sighting and aim have been correct by inspecting the back of the target.

Although I prefer to use in combination with this target very small projectiles, as before described, yet ordinary-sized ball -cartridges may also be used, in which case there should be situated behind the"target a sufficiently strong screen or bank to intercept the passage of the bullet when it is used in a confined space.

The accompanying drawing shows the back elevation of a target constructed as above described, to be used for a squad of six men. It may, however, be arranged for a greater orless number of men. It consists of a light frame, to which is attached the paper or other screen,

A, on which are marked, on the back face, the

horizontal divisions to b c d, 830., of which the lowest line, (1, serves for indicating point-blank range at, say, one hundred yards, and is marked with the bulls-eyes 1 2 3 4, 850., these bulls-ey cs being plainly marked on the front face for the men to aim at. The other division-lines, b c d, &c., serve to indicate the height above the bulls-eye at which the bullet would pass through the screen when placed at a certain distanee-say twelve pacesin front of the men, if the rifle is correctly sighted, respectively for two hundred, three hundred, four hundred, 850., yards range, so that. oninspectiug the target after firing the otficer can at once ascertain whether the men have correctly set their sight and aimed accurately for the range commanded. In addition to the horizontal division-lines, there may be marked any desired number of vertical division-lines lm on each side of the bulls-eye, in order to ascertain the extent of any lateral deviation of fire, as well as the vertical deviation.

It will be readily understood that the dis-- tances apart of the division-lines a b c d, &c., will have to be determined from the trajectories for the diflerent ranges fora given distance of the target from the firing position.

Having thus described the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim- 1. The hereindescribed target forrifle prac- 5 tice, provided upon its front face with a bulleye, and having upon its rear side a graduated scale formed by a series of horizontal lines, substantially as described.

2. The herein-described target for rifle prac- 1'o tice, having a bulls-eye upon its front face, and upon its rear side the series of horizontal and vertical lines, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereofI have signed mynmne to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 1 6th day of September, A. D. 1881.

RICHARD MORRIS.

\Vitnesses:

CHAS. D. ABEL, OLIVER. IMRAY. 

